Niagara has always been able to get top American's (Hayden, Seibenaler, Dhillon ) to name a few. Thought Mr MacLeod was going to get Norris but you can't win them all. It requires huge investment in scouting to get these players and everything points to the fact that Niagara is doing that with a dedicated Michigan scout

Which one of those is a “top” American? Nothing against any of those players, but I think we have very different ideas of what a “top” American is. Norris would fall into that category as would Logan Brown. I’ve said it before, until McLeod lands a big fish, all of the talking means nothing.

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Niagara has always been able to get top American's (Hayden, Seibenaler, Dhillon ) to name a few. Thought Mr MacLeod was going to get Norris but you can't win them all. It requires huge investment in scouting to get these players and everything points to the fact that Niagara is doing that with a dedicated Michigan scout

None of these kids were ‘top’ Americans ... they were American. I can’t remember any of them playing the NCAA card ... maybe Siebenaler didnbut he was a fifteenth rounder so I can’t imagine he was a ‘top’ American.

Niagara is top five in league attendance and has been in the playoffs for 11 years in a row and has sent many players on to the NHL ... and yet those who dangle the NCAA card don’t want to report here ..... I wonder why? 🤔

None of these kids were ‘top’ Americans ... they were American. I can’t remember any of them playing the NCAA card ... maybe Siebenaler didnbut he was a fifteenth rounder so I can’t imagine he was a ‘top’ American.

Niagara is top five in league attendance and has been in the playoffs for 11 years in a row and has sent many players on to the NHL ... and yet those who dangle the NCAA card don’t want to report here ..... I wonder why? 🤔

Really hard to compete when both Kitchener and London keep being able to do this. Cannot be ignored as not worth other teams taking a bet on these high end kids to avoid them going to these teams - to waste a pick. If the league really cared it would be easy to change the rules such that players have to declare that they are available to be in the OHL draft, and then if drafted they have to wait a period of time - or remain unavailable until the next draft, when they would have to declare again.

The scales will remain tipped until changes happen. The London article is the 1st time I have seen irrefutable evidence of how these agents and kids play the draft at the expense of fairness across the league. The London draftees are blatant about it - London or nowhere.

Niagara is a good place to play (facilities, opportunities, crowd) - but we have NEVER pulled in a top-class American. I doubt that will change - and without these high end kids getting to the Mem Cup will continue to be hard for us. We could now have Trent Frederic and Josh Norris on this team - what would that have done for our season? Admittedly Frederic and Norris stayed in the US, but if London had taken them instead of us, where would they be playing....?

I know this is not easy, but to read such blatant quotes from the London draftees is very damning and frustrating not just for us but for 18 other teams too.

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Niagara has always been able to get top American's (Hayden, Seibenaler, Dhillon ) to name a few. Thought Mr MacLeod was going to get Norris but you can't win them all. It requires huge investment in scouting to get these players and everything points to the fact that Niagara is doing that with a dedicated Michigan scout

I think you and I think on a different level re what "top-end Americans" mean.

Having the best scout in the OHL won't matter if you draft them and they don't report. You can draft a great American player for every pick - and have a tough year with nobody turn up. Finding them is one thing - getting them to pull on a jersey is a different matter.

Really hard to compete when both Kitchener and London keep being able to do this. Cannot be ignored as not worth other teams taking a bet on these high end kids to avoid them going to these teams - to waste a pick. If the league really cared it would be easy to change the rules such that players have to declare that they are available to be in the OHL draft, and then if drafted they have to wait a period of time - or remain unavailable until the next draft, when they would have to declare again.

The scales will remain tipped until changes happen. The London article is the 1st time I have seen irrefutable evidence of how these agents and kids play the draft at the expense of fairness across the league. The London draftees are blatant about it - London or nowhere.

Niagara is a good place to play (facilities, opportunities, crowd) - but we have NEVER pulled in a top-class American. I doubt that will change - and without these high end kids getting to the Mem Cup will continue to be hard for us. We could now have Trent Frederic and Josh Norris on this team - what would that have done for our season? Admittedly Frederic and Norris stayed in the US, but if London had taken them instead of us, where would they be playing....?

I know this is not easy, but to read such blatant quotes from the London draftees is very damning and frustrating not just for us but for 18 other teams too.

kitchener also did it last year with Michael Vukojevic comit univ of mich rated #8 by the scout.ca.. picked in 2nd round then later on signed

Here are Matt and DJ's look at the possible line-up to start the season. Of course, a lot can change between now and opening day - and the trade deadline (including an OA rule change).
Someone to keep an eye on: Ryan Campbell.

As for the top 3 forwards lines, my early prediction based on who they have – and who they might bring in:

Import – Jones – Maksimov

OA – Thomas – Tomasino

Bruder – Johnson – Martin*Bruder shots left and the dogs don’t have many who do.